Garrett Mock appears to have all but locked up a spot in the Nats' rotation.

VIERA, Fla. — There were plenty of nights last season in which the Nationals would have happily taken four innings of two-run ball from Garrett Mock. (Well, maybe not the four innings, but certainly the two runs.)

So consider it a sign of Mock's continued maturity that he wasn't the least bit satisfied with that pitching line tonight against the Braves.

"It was OK," he said. "Today wasn't one of the days where anything was necessarily good about it."

Au contraire, Garrett. There was something decidedly good about your performance tonight: Despite a shaky start, you battled back and retired nine Atlanta batters in a row, keeping the damage to the minimum on a night in which you admittedly didn't have your best stuff.

Sometimes, that's just as important as dominating with a full arsenal of pitches. Often, it's even more important.

This has been a breakthrough spring for Mock, who entered as one of a half-dozen young arms trying to win a rotation spot but immediately distinguished himself from the rest of the fray and with three weeksRead more »

Olsen probably should have been sent to AA Harrisburg Hospital along with Aaron Thompson to work on his arm strength, regaining control … in other words: rehab. It sure looks like the rotation is Lannan, Marquis, Mock, Hernadez and probably Stammen (since they sent Martin off to do a 'simulated' game.) Unless Mike Rizzo pulls of a trade worthy of in-depth examination by the Joy obsessed Jim Bowden on GM's corner.

Earlier this afternoon (before Mock ever took the mound) manager Jim Riggleman all but named John Lannan, Jason Marquis and Mock his top three starters…WOW. Get out those brackets for the 4 and 5 seed!

"four runs and 12 hits in nine total innings over three starts" is pitching lights out?? I guess I'll never get used to today's baseball standards for excellence. And, TV announcers rave when a pitcher can pitch 110 innings over the course of a season. That's less than 13 full games out of 162! That is pushing hundreds of thousands of dollars per game.

Wow, great news for a great guy, I have met and talked to Garrett on several occassionas and he is one of the nicest major leaguers I have met and he has his head in the right place. Good luck to him and I hope he can have a breakout year as our #3 guy!!!!

Garrett has been thru more adversity,in his life,than most of us.Battling for a spot in the Nats rotation is 'right up his alley."He obviously has the physical ability and is mentally tough. The Nats have a winner.Go Gman!